Draft Agenda (Subject to Change)

Tue, May 20

DAY 1 

Conference Program Starts: Welcome/Opening Remarks

• Sharon B. Megdal, Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona
• Suresh Garimella, President, University of Arizona 
• Austin Nuñez, Chairman, San Xavier District, Tohono O'odham Nation

Special Dedications

• To Be Announced (TBA)

Keynote: Transforming Water Conflicts: Global Lessons in Hydrodiplomacy

• Aaron Wolf, Professor, Oregon State University
• Q&A

Session 1: Frameworks for Collaboration Across Borders

• Moderator – TBA
• Maria-Elena Giner, Commissioner, IBWC/CILA – US Section
• Adriana Reséndez, Commissioner, IBWC/CILA – Mexican Section
• Susan Daniel, Secretary, US Section of the International Joint Commission (Invited)
• Q&A

Session 2: Sharing the Colorado River

• Moderator – TBA
• Andrea Gerlak, Professor, University of Arizona, 
  Introduction and Overview: History and Operations of the Colorado River
• Carlos A. De la Parra
  Evolution of Collaboration between US and Mexico on the Colorado River
• Chairwoman Amelia Flores, Chairwoman, Colorado River Indian Tribes 
  Effective Tribal Consultation
• Francisco Zamora, Senior Director of Programs, Sonoran Institute 
  Cross-border Collaborations with NGOs 
• Q&A

Session 3: Sharing Other Waters

• Moderator – Roberto Molina, Associate Director West Region, North American Development Bank (NADBank) (Invited)
• Gilbert Anaya, Chief, Environmental Management Division, IBWC/CILA – US Section and Blanca Cabello,
  Deputy Director of Water Quality and Sanitation, IBWC/CILA – Mexican Section 
  Understanding the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program (TAAP) and Advances 
  in Harmonizing Data Across Borders
• Tanya Trujillo, Deputy State Engineer and Senior Water Policy Advisor, New Mexico 
  Update on the Rio Grande and Groundwater in New Mexico
• Q&A

Special Recognition: Chairwoman Amelia Flores and Day 1 Closing

• Amelia Flores, Chairwoman, Colorado River Indian Tribes
• Levi Esquerra, Senior Vice President for Native American Advancement & Tribal Engagement, University of Arizona
• Sharon B. Megdal, Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona

Wed, May 21

DAY 2

Welcome Back

• Sharon B. Megdal, Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona

Keynote: Infrastructure, Investment, and Binational Collaboration

• John Beckham, Managing Director, North American Development Bank (NADBank)
• Q&A

Session 4: Water Security and Trade

• Moderator – Natalie DeRoock, Administrator for Public Affairs, Tucson Water
• Rob Simm, Senior Vice President, Emergent Sector Leader, Water, Stantec (Invited)
  Future Prospects for Binational Desalination
• Glenn Williamson, CEO, Canada Arizona Business Council
  Project Hourglass and Canadian Investments in the Water Sector
• Michael Mendonca, Senior Director, Water Strategic Services, Salt River Project (SRP)
  Cross-border Partnerships for Water Augmentation and Flood Flow Capture at SRP’s Bartlett Dam
• Ben Ruddell, Professor, School of Informatics Computing and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University
  Virtual Water Across Borders
• Francisco Lara, Professor, School of Transboundary Studies, Arizona State University
  Planning Across Borders
• Q&A

Session 5: Water Challenges and Funding

• Moderator – Jake Golden, Water Resource Specialist, City of Phoenix (Invited)
• Heather Whiteman Runs Him, Associate Clinical Professor and Director, Tribal Justice Clinic, University of Arizona
  Tribal Water Settlements and Funding for Tribal Water Infrastructure
• Brian Bennon, Director of National Tribal Water Systems, Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA)
  Operational Capacity Development and Cross-border Knowledge Sharing
• Antonio Rascón and Ramon Macias, Principal Engineers, IBWC/CILA – Mexican and US Sections
  International Water Treatment Plants in San Diego-Tijuana and Ambos Nogales 
• Chelsea McGuire, Director, Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (Invited)
  WIFA’s Approach to Water Augmentation and Funding/Financing
• Q&A

Dear Body of Water Interlude

• Gretchen E. Henderson, Poetry Center, University of Arizona (Invited)

Tribal Leader Keynotes

• Introductions - Gwendena Lee-Gatewood, Co-Chair, Indigenous Women’s Leadership Network
• Tribal Keynote Speakers - To Be Announced

Lunch Program: Arizona-Sonora Border Dialogue

• Keynote Speakers - To Be Announced

Session 6: Water Sector Collaborations

• Moderator – Joaquin Marruffo, Border Programs Manager, Arizona Department of Water Quality 
• John Kmiec, Director, Tucson Water
  Municipal Sector: Tucson’s Collaborations Across Borders
• Joshua Moore, Farm Manager, Colorado River Indian Tribes Farms (Invited)
  Agricultural Sector: CRIT Farms and Water Conservation
• Allison Moore, Executive Vice President, Fresh Produce Association of the Americas
  Agricultural Sector: Cross-border Agricultural Production, Trade, and Transportation
• Sandy Fabritz, Director of Water Strategy, Freeport McMoRan (Invited)
  Mining Sector: Innovations in Mining Water Use 
• Q&A

Session 7: Data and Knowledge Sharing

• Moderator – Holly Estrada Mechsner, Executive Director, Canada Arizona Business Council
• Susan Montgomery, Attorney, Montgomery & Interpreter, PLC
  Building Trust through Data and Collaborative Modeling
• Rosario Sanchez, Senior Research Scientist, Texas Water Resources Institute
  Binational Knowledge Sharing Platform
• Elia Tapia, Professor, Universidad de Sonora
  Translating Science

US Bureau of Reclamation Update 

• Introduction – Alexander Smith, Area Manager, Bureau of Reclamation, Phoenix Area Office
• Carly Jerla, Post-2026 Program Manager, Bureau of Reclamation 
• Amy Witherall, Binational Program Manager, Lower Colorado River Basin Region, Bureau of Reclamation

Keynote: Status of Colorado River Negotiations

• Introduction – Jamie McEvoy, Associate Director, Water Resources Research Center, University of Arizona
• Tom Buschatzke, Director, Arizona Department of Water Resources (Invited)